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Ayodhya Kaanda - Sarga 46
Vālmeeki smoothly transitioned us with the last Ṡlōka of the previous Sarga, into the quietness of the Vana, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
In this Sarga, Rāma puts the thoughts of Ayōdhyā behind, consoles himself that his father and mother would be all right under the kind care of Bharata.
He tells Lakshmaṇa not to worry about having to go in exile and assures him that everything would be all right ahead of them.
Lakshmaṇa stays awake all night, reminiscing the virtues of Rāma with Sumantra.
Rāma gets up early in the morning and feels sad about the citizens who are sleeping under the trees, leaving their homes behind, in order to follow him. In order to not cause further inconvenience to them, Rāma suggests that they should leave for the Vana before the citizens get up. Lakshmaṇa agrees. Sumantra makes the chariot ready. They all drive off, crossing the river Tamasā.
2.46.1 ததஸ்து தமஸாதீரம் ரம்யமாஸ்ரித்ய ராகவ: ।
ஸீதாமுத்வீக்ஷ்ய ஸௌமித்ரிமிதம் வசநமப்ரவீத் ॥
tatastu tamasātīraṃ ramyamāṡritya rāghavaḥ ।
sītāmudvīkṣya saumitrimidaṃ vacanamabravīt ॥
Upon reaching the delightful bank of river Tamasā,
Rāghava looked at Seetā, and said to the son of Sumitrā:
2.46.2 இயமத்ய நிஸா பூர்வா ஸௌமித்ரே ப்ரஹிதா வநம் ।
வநவாஸஸ்ய பத்ரம் தே ஸ நோத்கண்டிதுமர்ஹஸி ॥
iyamadya niṡā pūrvā saumitrē prahitā vanam ।
vanavāsasya bhadraṃ tē sa nōtkaṇṭhitumarhasi ॥
O son of Sumitrā! This would be
the first night of life in Vana
after we have been exiled to the Vana.
May you not have any kind of worry.
Everything will bode well for you. Lakshmaṇa was very angry about Rāma being exiled. Hence, Rāma is making sure that Lakshmaṇa is well disposed to the stay in the Vana.
2.46.3 பஸ்ய ஸூந்யாந்யரண்யாநி ருதந்தீவ ஸமந்தத: ।
யதாநிலயமாயத்பிர்நிலீநாநி ம்ருகத்விஜை: ॥
paṡya ṡūnyānyaraṇyāni rudantīva samantataḥ ।
yathānilayamāyadbhirnilīnāni mṛgadvijaiḥ ॥
Look at these woods that seem empty with
the birds and beasts finding their hiding places.
It feels as if it is crying, in every direction.
2.46.4 அத்யாயோத்யா து நகரீ ராஜதாநீ பிதுர்மம ।
ஸஸ்த்ரீபும்ஸா கதாநஸ்மாஞ்ஸோசிஷ்யதி ந ஸம்ஸய: ॥
adyāyōdhyā tu nagarī rājadhānī piturmama ।
sastrīpuṃsā gatānasmāñṡōciṣyati na saṃṡayaḥ ॥
Today, the City of Ayōdhyā, my father’s capital,
with all its men and women, will no doubt be
brooding over us who have come away!
2.46.5 அநுரக்தா ஹி மநுஜா ராஜாநம் பஹுபிர்குணை: ।
த்வாம் ச மாம் ச நரவ்யாக்ர ஸத்ருக்ந பரதௌ ததா ॥
anuraktā hi manujā rājānaṃ bahubhirguṇaiḥ ।
tvāṃ ca māṃ ca naravyāghra ṡatrughna bharatau tathā ॥
O tiger among men! People love all of us,
the king, you, me, Ṡatrughna and Bharata
for various good reasons.
2.46.6 பிதரம் சாநுஸோசாமி மாதரம் ச யஸஸ்விநீம் ।
அபி வாந்தௌ பவேதாம் து ருதந்தௌ தாவபீக்ஷ்ணஸ: ॥
pitaraṃ cānuṡōcāmi mātaraṃ ca yaṡasvinīm ।
api vāndhau bhavētāṃ tu rudantau tāvabhīkṣṇaṡaḥ ॥
Father and the well regarded mother,
I worry, may become blind, crying endlessly.
2.46.7 பரத: கலு தர்மாத்மா பிதரம் மாதரம் ச மே ।
தர்மார்தகாமஸஹிதைர்வாக்யைர்வாஸ்வாஸயிஷ்யதி ॥
bharataḥ khalu dharmātmā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca mē ।
dharmārthakāmasahitairvākyairvāṡvāsayiṣyati ॥
Bharata, the Dharmātma,
will indeed console father and my mother with
righteous, meaningful and endearing words.
2.46.8 பரதஸ்யாந்ருஸம்ஸத்வம் விசிந்த்யாஹம் புந: புந: ।
நாநுஸோசாமி பிதரம் மாதரம் சாபி லக்ஷ்மண ! ॥
bharatasyānṛṡaṃsatvaṃ vicintyāhaṃ punaḥ punaḥ ।
nānuṡōcāmi pitaraṃ mātaraṃ cāpi lakṣmaṇa ! ॥
O Lakshmaṇa, I would hold myself from worrying
about father and mother,
reminding myself again and again,
of the gentle attitude of Bharata.
2.46.9 த்வயா கார்யம் நரவ்யாக்ர மாமநுவ்ரஜதா க்ருதம் ।
அந்வேஷ்டவ்யா ஹி வைதேஹ்யா ரக்ஷணார்தே ஸஹாயதா ॥
tvayā kāryaṃ naravyāghra māmanuvrajatā kṛtam ।
anvēṣṭavyā hi vaidēhyā rakṣaṇārthē sahāyatā ॥
O tiger among men, it is good that you have come following me.
I would any way have looked for some help,
to protect the princess of Vidēha.
2.46.10 அத்பிரேவ து ஸௌமித்ரே! வத்ஸ்யாம்யத்ய நிஸாமிமாம் ।
ஏதத்தி ரோசதே மஹ்யம் வந்யேऽபி விவிதே ஸதி ॥
adbhirēva tu saumitrē! vatsyāmyadya niṡāmimām ।
ētadhdi rōcatē mahyaṃ vanyē'pi vividhē sati ॥
Tonight, O son of Sumitrā,
I somehow feel like taking only water,
though various kinds of forest produce are available.
2.46.11 ஏவமுக்த்வா து ஸௌமித்ரிம் ஸுமந்த்ரமபி ராகவ: ।
அப்ரமத்தஸ்த்வமஸ்வேஷு பவ ஸௌம்யேத்யுவாச ஹ ॥
ēvamuktvā tu saumitriṃ sumantramapi rāghavaḥ ।
apramattastvamaṡvēṣu bhava saumyētyuvāca ha ॥
Having said this to the son of Sumitrā,
Rāghava told Sumantra,
“O gentle one, please look to the horses carefully!”
2.46.12 ஸோऽஸ்வாந்ஸுமந்த்ர: ஸம்யம்ய ஸூர்யேऽஸ்தம் ஸமுபாகதே ।
ப்ரபூதயவஸாந் க்ருத்வா பபூவ ப்ரத்யநந்தர: ॥
sō'ṡvānsumantraḥ saṃyamya sūryē'staṃ samupāgatē ।
prabhūtayavasān kṛtvā babhūva pratyanantaraḥ ॥
When the sun set, Sumantra tethered the horses,
gave them plenty of fodder and returned.
2.46.13 உபாஸ்ய து ஸிவாம் ஸந்த்யாம் த்ருஷ்ட்வா ராத்ரிமுபஸ்திதாம் ।
ராமஸ்ய ஸயநம் சக்ரே ஸூத: ஸௌமித்ரிணா ஸஹ ॥
upāsya tu ṡivāṃ sandhyāṃ dṛṣṭvā rātrimupasthitām ।
rāmasya ṡayanaṃ cakrē sūtaḥ saumitriṇā saha ॥
Sumantra then paid salutations to the auspicious dusk.
As the night approached, he made the bed for
Rāghava with the help of Lakshmaṇa.
2.46.14 தாம் ஸய்யாம் தமஸாதீரே வீக்ஷ்ய வ்ருக்ஷதலை: க்ருதாம் ।
ராம: ஸௌமித்ரிணா ஸார்தம் ஸபார்யஸ்ஸம்விவேஸ ஹ ॥
tāṃ ṡayyāṃ tamasātīrē vīkṣya vṛkṣadalaiḥ kṛtām ।
rāmaḥ saumitriṇā sārdhaṃ sabhāryassaṃvivēṡa ha ॥
Seeing that bed of leaves on
the bank of river Tamasā ready,
Rāma lay down on it along with his wife.
Lakshmaṇa also lay down.
2.46.15 ஸபார்யம் ஸம்ப்ரஸுப்தம் தம் ப்ராதரம் வீக்ஷ்ய லக்ஷ்மண: ।
கதயாமாஸ ஸூதாய ராமஸ்ய விவிதாந் குணாந் ॥
sabhāryaṃ samprasuptaṃ taṃ bhrātaraṃ vīkṣya lakṣmaṇaḥ ।
kathayāmāsa sūtāya rāmasya vividhān guṇān ॥
Lakshmaṇa, in admiration, looked at
his brother who was asleep with his wife.
Speaking to the charioteer,
he reflected on the exceptional virtues of Rāma.
2.46.16 ஜாக்ரதோ ஹ்யேவ தாம் ராத்ரிம் ஸௌமித்ரேருதிதோ ரவி: ।
ஸூதஸ்ய தமஸாதீரே ராமஸ்ய ப்ருவதோ குணாந் ॥
jāgratō hyēva tāṃ rātriṃ saumitrēruditō raviḥ ।
sūtasya tamasātīrē rāmasya bruvatō guṇān ॥
Thus, speaking to the charioteer about the virtues of Rāma
on those banks of river Tamasā,
that son of Sumitrā ended up staying awake all night
and the sun rose meanwhile.
2.46.17 கோகுலாகுலதீராயாஸ்தமஸாயா விதூரத: ।
அவஸத்தத்ர தாம் ராத்ரிம் ராம: ப்ரக்ருதிபிஸ்ஸஹ ॥
gōkulākulatīrāyāstamasāyā vidūrataḥ ।
avasattatra tāṃ rātriṃ rāmaḥ prakṛtibhissaha ॥
Thus Rāma spent the night along with all the people,
not far from river Tamasā,
whose banks were crowded with herds of cows.
2.46.18 உத்தாய ஸ மஹாதேஜா: ப்ரக்ருதீஸ்தா நிஸாம்ய ச ।
அப்ரவீத்ப்ராதரம் ராமோ லக்ஷ்மணம் புண்யலக்ஷணம் ॥
utthāya sa mahātējāḥ prakṛtīstā niṡāmya ca ।
abravīdbhrātaraṃ rāmō lakṣmaṇaṃ puṇyalakṣaṇam ॥
Getting up and looking at those people,
that man of great radiance said to
his brother Lakshmaṇa of pleasing appearance:
2.46.19 அஸ்மத்வ்யபேக்ஷாந் ஸௌமித்ரே நிரபேக்ஷாந் க்ருஹேஷ்வபி ।
வ்ருக்ஷமூலேஷு ஸம்ஸுப்தாந் பஸ்ய லக்ஷ்மண ஸாம்ப்ரதம் ॥
asmadvyapēkṣān saumitrē nirapēkṣān gṛhēṣvapi ।
vṛkṣamūlēṣu saṃsuptān paṡya lakṣmaṇa sāmpratam ॥
O son of Sumitrā, look at these people!
With love towards us that surpasses
their love for their own homes,
they are sleeping under the trees now!
2.46.20 யதைதே நியமம் பௌரா: குர்வந்த்யஸ்மந்நிவர்தநே ।
அபி ப்ராணாந்ந்யஸிஷ்யந்தி ந து த்யக்ஷ்யந்தி நிஸ்சயம் ॥
yathaitē niyamaṃ paurāḥ kurvantyasmannivartanē ।
api prāṇānnyasiṣyanti na tu tyakṣyanti niṡcayam ॥
These citizens are determined in coaxing us to return.
They seem to be ready to give up even their lives
than giving up their intent.
2.46.21 யாவதேவ து ஸம்ஸுப்தாஸ்தாவதேவ வயம் லகு ।
ரதமாருஹ்ய கச்சாம: பந்தாநமகுதோபயம் ॥
yāvadēva tu saṃsuptāstāvadēva vayaṃ laghu ।
rathamāruhya gacchāmaḥ panthānamakutōbhayam ॥
So, while they are sound asleep,
let us quickly get into the chariot and
go on our way along the road,
with no further worries.
2.46.22 அதோ பூயோऽபி நேதாநீமிக்ஷ்வாகுபுரவாஸிந: ।
ஸ்வபேயுரநுரக்தா மாம் வ்ருக்ஷமூலாநி ஸம்ஸ்ரிதா: ॥
atō bhūyō'pi nēdānīmikṣvākupuravāsinaḥ ।
svapēyuranuraktā māṃ vṛkṣamūlāni saṃṡritāḥ ॥
Then the inhabitants of the city of Ikshwākus
will not have to sleep again under the trees like this
because of their love for me.
2.46.23 பௌரா ஹ்யாத்மக்ருதாத்து:காத்விப்ரமோச்யா ந்ருபாத்மஜை: ।
ந து கல்வாத்மநா யோஜ்யா து:கேந புரவாஸிந: ॥
paurā hyātmakṛtādduḥkhādvipramōcyā nṛpātmajaiḥ ।
na tu khalvātmanā yōjyā duḥkhēna puravāsinaḥ ॥
As the sons of the king, we should save citizens
from hardships that they might bring upon themselves,
and not be the ones to bring hardships upon them!
2.46.24 அப்ரவீல்லக்ஷ்மணோ ராமம் ஸாக்ஷாத்தர்மமிவஸ்திதம் ।
ரோசதே மே ததா ப்ராஜ்ஞ! க்ஷிப்ர மாருஹ்யதாமிதி ॥
abravīllakṣmaṇō rāmaṃ sākṣāddharmamivasthitam ।
rōcatē mē tathā prājña! kṣipra māruhyatāmiti ॥
Lakshmaṇa answered Rāma, who was like Dharma incarnate,
“I like that idea, O wise one, let us get in quick!”
2.46.25 அத ராமோऽப்ரவீச்ச்ரீமாந்ஸுமந்த்ரம் யுஜ்யதாம் ரத: ।
கமிஷ்யாமி ததோऽரண்யம் கச்ச ஸீக்ரமித: ப்ரபோ ॥
atha rāmō'bravīcchrīmānsumantraṃ yujyatāṃ rathaḥ ।
gamiṣyāmi tatō'raṇyaṃ gaccha ṡīghramitaḥ prabhō ॥
Then the majestic and gracious Rāma said to Sumantra:
O lord, make the chariot ready!
I shall go to the Vana. Start from here immediately!
2.46.26 ஸூதஸ்ததஸ்ஸத்த்வரித: ஸ்யந்தநம் தைர்ஹயோத்தமை: ।
யோஜயித்வ்ராऽத ராமாய ப்ராஞ்ஜலி: ப்ரத்யவேதயத் ॥
sūtastatassattvaritaḥ syandanaṃ tairhayōttamaiḥ ।
yōjayitvrā'tha rāmāya prāñjaliḥ pratyavēdayat ॥
The charioteer then hastened and
yoked those exquisite horses.
He said to Rāma with palms joined in reverence:
2.46.27 அயம் யுக்தோ மஹாபாஹோ! ரதஸ்தே ரதிநாம் வர! ।
த்வமாரோஹஸ்வ பத்ரம் தே ஸஸீத ஸ்ஸஹலக்ஷ்மண: ॥
ayaṃ yuktō mahābāhō! rathastē rathināṃ vara! ।
tvamārōhasva bhadraṃ tē sasīta ssahalakṣmaṇaḥ ॥
O mighty armed one! O foremost among the charioters!
The chariot is ready.
May you get in quick along with Seetā and Lakshmaṇa!
May all bode well for you! Ratha (रथ) means chariot.
Rathi (रथि) means one who owns a chariot and/or rides on a chariot and especially adept in fighting a battle mounted on a chariot, as opposed to on a horse or elephant.
Sarathi (सारथि) means one who drives a chariot.
The image of Arjuna riding on the chariot and Krishna driving it in the war of Mahabharata is familiar to many of us. In that picture, we see a Ratha, a Rathi and a Sarathi.
The word Rathi (रथि) is used very often in traditional Indian texts. But unfortunately, there is no equivalent of it in English. So I made up the word charioter (note the singe ‘e’) as equivalent of Rathi (रथि).
2.46.28 தம் ஸ்யந்தநமதிஷ்டாய ராகவஸ்ஸபரிச்சத: ।
ஸீக்ரகாமாகுலாவர்தாம் தமஸாமதரந்நதீம் ॥
taṃ syandanamadhiṣṭhāya rāghavassaparicchadaḥ ।
ṡīghragāmākulāvartāṃ tamasāmatarannadīm ॥
Taking his seat in the chariot,
having first had all his goods stowed away in it,
Rāghava crossed the river Tamasā
with its swift and swirling currents.
2.46.29 ஸ ஸந்தீர்ய மஹாபாஹு: ஸ்ரீமாந் ஸிவமகண்டகம் ।
ப்ராபத்யத மஹாமார்கமபயம் பயதர்ஸிநாம் ॥
sa santīrya mahābāhuḥ ṡrīmān ṡivamakaṇṭakam ।
prāpadyata mahāmārgamabhayaṃ bhayadarṡinām ॥
Crossing it, the blessed and mighty armed one (Rāma)
took the fine highway which was free from dangers,
where even the timorous felt safe.
2.46.30-31 மோஹநார்தம் து பௌராணாம் ஸூதம் ராமோऽப்ரவீத்வச: ।
உதங்முக: ப்ரயாஹி த்வம் ரதமாஸ்தாய ஸாரதே ॥
முஹூர்தம் த்வரிதம் கத்வா நிவர்தய ரதம் புந: ।
யதா ந வித்யு: பௌரா மாம் ததா குரு ஸமாஹித: ॥
mōhanārthaṃ tu paurāṇāṃ sūtaṃ rāmō'bravīdvacaḥ ।
udaṅmukhaḥ prayāhi tvaṃ rathamāsthāya sārathē ॥
muhūrtaṃ tvaritaṃ gatvā nivartaya rathaṃ punaḥ ।
yathā na vidyuḥ paurā māṃ tathā kuru samāhitaḥ ॥
Rāma, in order to hoodwink the citizens (to not follow him)
gave these instructions to the charioteer:
O Charioteer! Take your seat and drive to the north.
Drive quick and far enough and then stop,
so that the citizens would not know where I am.
Do it with care and diligence.
Ṡlōkas 30 to 34 seem to be an alternate (and not so well written) version of Ṡlōkas 21 to 29.
Alternates like these in a text that is as old as Rāmāyaṇa are to be expected to creep in.
However, it is rare to see two versions preserved next to each other like this, in a well compiled edition.
If it were left to me, I would have, without any heSeetātion, purged Ṡlōkas 30 to 34 from the compilation.
2.46.32 ராமஸ்ய வசநம் ஸ்ருத்வா ததா சக்ரே ஸ ஸாரதி: ।
ப்ரத்யாகம்ய ச ராமஸ்ய ஸ்யந்தநம் ப்ரத்யவேதயத் ॥
rāmasya vacanaṃ ṡrutvā tathā cakrē sa sārathiḥ ।
pratyāgamya ca rāmasya syandanaṃ pratyavēdayat ॥
The charioteer heard Rāma and after acting accordingly,
came back to inform Rāma that the chariot is ready.
2.46.33 தௌ ஸம்ப்ரயுக்தம் து ரதம் ஸமாஸ்திதௌ
ததா ஸஸீதௌ ரகுவம்ஸவர்தநௌ ।
ப்ரசோதயாமாஸ ததஸ்துரங்கமாந்
ஸ ஸாரதிர்யேந பதா தபோவநம் ॥
tau samprayuktaṃ tu rathaṃ samāsthitau
tadā sasītau raghuvaṃṡavardhanau ।
pracōdayāmāsa tatasturaṅgamān
sa sārathiryēna pathā tapōvanam ॥
When the two prosperers of the lineage of Raghu
had settled themselves in the chariot, along with Seetā,
the charioteer drove the horses forward along the road
that led to the Vana where people perform Tapa.
2.46.34 தத ஸ்ஸமாஸ்தாய ரதம் மஹாரத:
ஸஸாரதிர்தாஸரதிர்வநம் யயௌ ।
உதங்முகம் தம் து ரதம் சகார ஸ
ப்ரயாணமாங்கல்ய நிமித்ததர்ஸநாத் ॥
tata ssamāsthāya rathaṃ mahārathaḥ
sasārathirdāṡarathirvanaṃ yayau ।
udaṅmukhaṃ taṃ tu rathaṃ cakāra sa
prayāṇamāṅgalya nimittadarṡanāt ॥
As it augurs well to travel in the northerly direction,
Sumantra turned the chariot in that direction.
The son of Daṡaratha, charioter paramount,
thus mounted the chariot driven by the charioteer
and headed to the Vana.
இத்யார்ஷே ஸ்ரீமத்ராமாயணே வால்மீகீயே ஆதிகாவ்யே
அயோத்யாகாண்டே ஷட்சத்வாரிம்ஸஸ்ஸர்க: ॥
ityārṣē ṡrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīyē ādikāvyē
ayōdhyākāṇḍē ṣaṭcatvāriṃṡassargaḥ ॥
Thus concludes the forty-sixth Sarga
in Ayōdhyā Kāṇḍa of the glorious Rāmāyaṇa,
the first ever poem of humankind,
composed by Vālmeeki.
You have completed reading 4106 Ṡlōkas out of ~24,000 Ṡlōkas of Vālmeeki Rāmāyaṇa.
Meaning, notes and commentary by: Krishna Sharma.